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Koreas to Open Cross-Border Cargo Railway


The prime ministers of North and South Korea have agreed to form an organization for establishing a special cooperative peace zone in coastal areas of the West Sea, and to open a Munsan-Bongdong railway for freight trains this year, according to sources, Thursday.
The agreement came as North Korean Prime Minister Kim Yong-il and his South Korean counterpart Han Duck-soo had a second day of discussions in order to produce a joint statement.

The statement will contain follow-up measures to agreements reached at the second inter-Korean summit held in Pyongyang from Oct. 2-4.
The two discussed issues including the peace zone project, construction of a shipyard, the improvement of railways and roads in North Korea, the expansion of the Gaeseong Industrial Complex and cooperation for natural resources development.

On the first day of talks, the South proposed the creation of the peace zone project organization; facilities for communication, customs and transportation at the Gaeseong complex; construction of the shipyard; more frequent reunions of displaced families; and the return of South Koreans abducted by the North.

In response, North Korean delegates suggested, among others, joint use of the Gaeseong-Sinuiju railway and Gaeseong-Pyongyang highway, the development of shipyards in the North and the expansion of the Gaeseong complex.
The complex is where scores of South Korean factories produce garments, shoes and other labor-intensive goods with North Korea's cheap labor.



# The Korea Times [NOVEMBER 16, 2007]